


This fucking family

by Lenami



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Character Study, Don't kill me please, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, Gen, Hiding dynamics, I mean I think so, Loneliness, Michael and Tommy have very weird family relation, Omega Tommy Shelby, Other, Tommy Shelby Has Issues, as I said I hope I did it justice, family fic, first part start at the beginning of season 4, first time writing a/b/o, still not sure if I do it right, that's all, writing this AU for a friend actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25679479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenami/pseuds/Lenami
Summary: “So why did you come to see me then?” Tommy raised his eyebrows, regaining his composure after the smallest moment of vulnerability.Michael just shrugged. He always struggled to be calm and collected in front of Tommy."There is just something… He seems sometimes like one of those portraits on his walls. Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. Somehow everything is always about him, even if he never actually shows something beyond his façade" He thought..He lit the cigarette finally and for a second it seemed like old Tommy was back and nothing happened, like all of that was only in Michael’s head.But then- when Michael was about to walk out of the room, Tommy spoke up again, in the same soft tone. Maybe not actually soft. But softer, definitely.“Can you leave your coat?” For a split second, Tommy took off his mask and looked at him with weariness and loneliness in his eyes- but it took just a blink for it to disappear....A bit of a character study. Maybe it says something about the Shelby family?
Relationships: Tommy Shelby & Michael Gray, Tommy Shelby/Alfie Solomons
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	This fucking family

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It's my first time writing A/B/O so I hope I did it justice, my friend put me up to it so at least it will be nice for her:) . I just recently rewatched 5th season and I just felt like writing something about Michael and Tommy. First part happens on the beginning of a fourth season, during the year the family doesn't speak with Tommy and the second in the fifth season in the scene when Michael talks to Tommy for a first time since going back from New York with Gina.  
> I hope there are some people out there who can enjoy it too.

Michael could only say that it really was an emergency that time- but maybe it was also because Tommy never missed a day of work and now, he didn’t show up in the office, neither did he return any of his calls. So, Michael didn’t have any choice- he went to see him in person.

At the beginning, he worked restlessly to try to reconcile Tommy with the rest of the family and he never missed the opportunity to speak to him in person. Even if neither of the sides of conflict made it easier. It wasn’t like he himself wasn’t reluctant to speak to him at first but it seemed that the rope, the hanging- whatever anyone would like to call it, didn’t touch Michael in the same way it touched the rest.

He still felt it, in a way- the panic, the fear- but it was different, it was different for him. He still didn’t want to admit to this, even before himself- but he just got this family. It’s been only what- two? Three years? He didn’t want to lose it just yet.

He felt a weird heartache, passing through the hall of Tommy’s enormous house, empty hallways, full of pretentious paintings, staring him down from the walls.

 _It’s weariness. I am so fucking tired of this_. He thought, eyeing Grace’s portrait. _It’s fucking awful. They should have stuck to photographs._

Frustration made him restless and irritable. He’s been told that Mr. Shelby is unavailable at the moment.

“He’s been here for two days, sir. He said: no visitors, no maids, no one comes in.” Poor maid tried to keep up with his footsteps. “He just barricaded himself in his rooms with a phone.”

“Well, then the phone is clearly not working. It’s an emergency, company business. Name is Grey. Mr. Shelby is going to be extremely upset if I wait to tell him this till he comes back.” He didn’t even try to conceal irritation in his voice and picked up the pace. Automatically, he handed her a business card which she took hesitantly.

“No business, no exceptions, he said.” The woman persisted, lips pressed into thin line.

“I am the family.” He finally said, in a last line of defence and it seemed like he got to her through this. “Mr. Shelby’s cousin, Polly Grey’s son.”

“I see.” She eyed him suspiciously but that was all she said. Polly’s name always opened doors. Without complaints, she led him to the bedroom and opened the door with a spare key and left him there, wondering, what the hell Tommy was up to. 

_Maybe he isn’t actually there, making gang deals when no one is looking?_

When he opened heavy door, it all finally became obvious.

So fucking obvious.

Scent of a heat hit him and he smashed the door behind him back shut so quickly, the thud was so loud it must have been audible at the other side of the house. He leaned against them, looking at the room, mortified. It was-

Being honest, it did not come as such a surprise, as one could think it could. It made some things clearer, actually. Tommy always used scent blockers, and when he thought about this, this was the first time he felt Tommy’s natural scent: melting sugar with just a hint of cinnamon and something fresh, something that made him think about outside- forest, walk in the woods, falling snow. Maybe wind?

It was a lovely scent; reminded him of Polly - it felt like her scent, like home, family. With just a smallest bit of danger.

 _Tommy is an omega… Christ- I-_ His thoughts ran wild, ending in one, clear realisation: Tommy was going to fucking kill him.

“The fuck…” Tommy, just a second ago curled up on bed, now jumped up to sitting position and now stared at Michael with wide eyes. “Michael, what the hell are you doing here? I said, no one comes in even if the entire fucking stock market crashes. Who the fuck do you think you are? I thought family would know what that means. Not that I would expect anyone to come.”

“It’s a business emergency- or so I thought. I am so sorry- I shouldn’t have come here.” He shuffled, pressing his back further into the door and trying to keep his eyes off Tommy. “I couldn’t know what that could mean-”

“Polly didn’t tell you that I-?” Tommy blinked, his voice sounded truly surprised which was rare for him. He turned to look at the window. “This fucking family…”

Scent of his distress hung in the room.

 _He is lonely- it feels, the scent, like he is lonely._ He realised. _Of course he is! Lot of people spend their heats without their mates but to spend it far away from any family, for such a long time…_

“No, she didn’t.” Michael couldn’t help but just simply stare at him with weird fascination. He never got to see Tommy like this, with messy hair, in wrinkly, half-unbuttoned shirt, sitting between a pile of blankets and feather bed in his bedroom. His reason told him to fucking run and never mention it to Tommy ever again but his alpha instincts told him to soothe member of his family, to come closer, ask how he is doing, scent him…

 _Am I a farm boy or a fucking Shelby?_ A voice in his head, suspiciously similar to his mother’s voice answered: _You are Gray, after all. Nothing should be kept a secret from you._

“Should I go? I should go-” He realised he just stood there, staring at him.

“No. If you are already there, tell me about this bloody emergency.” Tommy said in his usual, angry voice, and added in softer tone: “It got better for now, it will come back in an hour or so but tit got better now. Come here. I don’t fucking bite, Michael.”

The fact that Tommy Shelby was capable of speaking in a softer tone probably was the thing that surprised him the most that day.

He came closer reluctantly and sat on the edge of Tommy’s enormous bed and pulled the papers from his case, thankful for them because he didn’t have to look at his face when he fumbled with the papers. 

“Jessie Eden-” He started but he didn’t get to finish because Tommy cut him off.

“Jessie fucking Eden! You come here with that? No, Michael, no, Mrs. Eden can wait- Mrs. Eden will wait till Mr. Shelby comes back to work. Fuck off.”

“Tommy, she-” Michael had to stop himself from rolling his eyes but he also didn’t plan to die anytime soon, especially by Tommy’s hand.

“I can’t fucking deal with her right now”

Michael could smell his growing distress and irritation in a way his scent changed. Closer, he could feel there was much more in it- Tommy’s pain and humiliation, even along with the faint scent arousal, probably left there from the last night. He felt himself blush. 

Michael turned to look at Tommy- his cheeks were red and it made his blue eyes stand out even more than usual; he glared at Michael in this specific way he always looked at other members of his family. Not cold, not judging but just… Just very Tommy-like. He noticed, for a first time, freckles on his nose. This very fragile fragment of humanity somehow fitted perfectly into image of Tommy in his head.

“Tommy, why aren’t you on suppressants?”

“I am. But sometimes- this useless bloody medicine won’t work properly when-” there was hesitation in his voice. “When person is under a lot of stress.”

“And when you use it for a long time.” He admitted, still avoiding Michael’s eyes. “I wondered if I should call someone to spend the heat with.”

His voice became unusually soft and quiet.

 _Why is he telling me this?_ He suddenly realised absurdity of the situation and panic started to rise in his throat. _He might be in a worse state than he appears to be._

“I thought to maybe call Solomons.”

“Solomons? No, no, Tommy. Bad idea, really bad. Does he even know?”

Tommy didn’t answer, staring stubbornly out of the window and reached for his cigarettes, making a gesture that could be interpreted as a shrug.

 _Fuck it. He is going to kill me anyway._ Michael decided to go with his instincts because his rational mind was completely blank.

“Tommy, come here. Closer.” He put his briefcase on the ground and reached his arms in Tommy’s direction.

“The fuck, Michael?” His cousin froze, still fumbling with cigarette. “You want to play loving family after they almost hung all of you because of me?”

“A familiar scent. Familiar scent will only help you and perhaps you will stop having such wonderful ideas as calling Alfie Solomons to come over.” Michael sighed and this time actually looked Tommy in the eyes. “Don’t be like that. No one is playing loving family, just making things easier for you. Nobody will know and you still can be a heartless bastard after it.”

Tommy put the cigarette back down and send him a glare that could freeze hell- but he actually moved closer and reluctantly put his arms around him. It was awkward- of course it would be, and it became even more awkward when Michael automatically embraced him tighter, bringing them closer into proper hug. He tried to imitate the brotherly hug he rarely saw Tommy and Arthur share.

Tommy inhaled sharply- maybe it was surprise, maybe it was outrage but unexpectedly relaxed, resting his forehead against Michael’s shoulder. His scent didn’t change much but it did seem calmer. Michael carefully brought up his wrists to Tommy’s throat to scent him, not touching the scent gland but higher, just under his jawline. Should be enough for Tommy to feel the difference- he didn’t touch or see any members of his family for a while now and Michael knew that while they were only cousins, his scent actually reminded Polly’s quite a bit.

“Better?”

“Fuck off, Michael.”

They let go of each other.

“I thought you actually were away doing the dirty business, just pretending to be sick, you know.”

“So why did you come to see me then?” Tommy raised his eyebrows, regaining his composure after the smallest moment of vulnerability.

Michael just shrugged. He always struggled to be calm and collected in front of Tommy.

_There is just something… He seems sometimes like one of those portraits on his walls. Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. Somehow everything is always about him, even if he never actually shows something beyond his façade._

“Now, fuck off for real because if this actually is supposed to help me, maybe I should use this to get some sleep.”

“Alright.” He sighed, gathering the paperwork. “Do you want me to leave those demands Jessie Eden gave me?”

_Always a delight to see you, Tommy._

“This woman-” Tommy said with a sour face and stopped himself mid-sentence. “You can leave it.”

He lit the cigarette finally and for a second it seemed like old Tommy was back and nothing happened, like all of that was only in Michael’s head.

But then- when Michael was about to walk out of the room, Tommy spoke up again, in the same soft tone. Maybe not actually soft. But softer, definitely.

“Can you leave your coat?” For a split second, Tommy took off his mask and looked at him with weariness and loneliness in his eyes- but it took just a blink for it to disappear. He added, with his usual sharpness and irony:

“Familiar scent will help me sleep.”

Michael left that without comment and put his coat on Tommy’s bed, delicately, like something could happen to fine material if he handled it roughly.

“See you on Monday.”

Tommy just nodded him in answer with absent expression, already letting his thoughts wander freely.

When he came to visit mum that evening, she raised her eyebrows when she felt Tommy’s scent on him and murmured something about taking pity on heartless bastards just because they are in heat but she never mentioned it again.

* * *

Tommy was everywhere. There was no day she didn’t hear his name. Tommy called the office, Tommy made a deal, Tommy told to sell, Tommy was mad, Tommy didn’t trust them. She heard it when Michael repeated it mindlessly during phone calls, sounding not like her Michael at all, she heard it said as a threat, but above all- she heard it said like a prayer, in a hushed whisper, a word of a gospel. 

Gina Grey was curious who was this mystery man, this imposing figure. Politician, razor gang leader, business man, the head of Shelby family, Michael’s cousin. Her cousin by law.

Tommy fucking Shelby.

So, when she actually saw him- truth to be said, he didn’t seem like the half of the man he was supposed to be. Seemingly scentless beta man (she couldn’t get used to Englishmen’s fondness for scent blockers)- slight, pretty face, dressed well but with visible tendency to darker colours, jaw clenched tight in a tense expression.

Sharp, angry.

He reminded her of a bird, of a sparrow; grey, just like the city Tommy came from. Grey Birmingham.

Above all, he had lovely baby blue eyes- eyes American women would swoon over if they weren’t so cold.

Gina looked at this man, at this fascinating natural phenomenon and wondered why Michael would care so much about his opinion, his approval, his trust.

“I can’t fucking believe it” Michael raised his voice, outraged. Gina squeezed his elbow tighter. “We are fucking family and all of you treat me like this. I bring my wife her only for you to treat her like this-”

“Michael, do you see that bar here? Do you see what’s written here?” Tommy pointed at the company’s logo over the bar with anger barely hidden beneath sharpness of his voice. “It’s written ‘Shelby’ there. You know why? Because our business is us. Shelby’s. Our fucking family.”

He stopped for a moment, cigarette burning in his hand, looking at them unblinking. 

“And you see, Michael, you don’t seem to do be doing any good for our business recently. In fact, it appears like you’ve been doing the exact opposite. Makes one question your intentions. I tell you: sell - you don’t sell, and we lose fucking everything. I tell you come back to England and what do I get- a fucking call about you SCHEMING against me! That’s why we are treating you like this, Michael. Time for fucking quarantine for you.”

“That’s rich, Tommy- that’s rich coming from you-”

Michael’s scent thickened, his back straightened up- and if Gina ever saw obvious posturing, that was it.

_Alphas! Always ready for a fucking fight._

Tommy’s nostrils flared and for the first time she saw the burning fury in his eyes, not masked by anything. He also stood upright, dropped his cigarette.

“Don’t you fucking dare Michael- don’t you fucking dare!”

“You seemed to don’t really mind it last time.”

“Michael!” This time it was Polly, her voice just as sharp as Tommy’s. “I am warning you.”

“Oh, by the way, did you call Solomons in the end?” It was obvious for Gina that her husband lost control, it was time to step up. “I bet he would be thrilled-”

“Solomons is dead, Michael. Tommy put a bullet into his head.” Polly cut him off and send Gina a look that said ‘take him away’.

“Get the fuck out of my bar, Michael.” Tommy’s voice was cold again and this time nobody picked up the fight.

“Let’s go, Michael.” Gina wasn’t stupid. She knew when to stop.

“This fucking family. This fucking family.” Michael repeated, as they walked through Birmingham’s dirty streets together.

“What was that all about?” She asked him in a neutral tone, throwing him a glance over her shoulder.

Michael was silent for a moment, staring angrily on the ground.

“He is an omega, Gina.” He still avoided her eyes.

She ignored her own surprise and forced herself to stay silent because it seemed like Michael had something more to say.

“But truth to be said, I don’t fucking know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I would be thankful for any kudos or comments.


End file.
